And so the weaning process begins! Introducing your baby to solid foods definitely feels like an official rite of passage, and we’ve got your back. While making your own baby food might seem like a daunting task, it’s actually quite easy. You’ll quickly find that baby will let you know EXACTLY what he or she likes or doesn’t like, so pretty soon you’ll have your recipes down to a science. Until then, here are a few of our favorites:
PEACH, APPLE & STRAWBERRY from British baby expert, Annabel Karmel (don’t worry, we’ve done the conversions for you!)
Ingredients:
- 1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1 large peach, peeled, stoned and chopped
- 3 ounces strawberries, halved
- 1 tbsp baby rice
Steam the apple for about 4 minutes. Add the peach and strawberries to the steamer and continue to cook for about 3 minutes. Blend the fruits to a smooth puree and stir in the baby rice.
CARROT PUREE from My Recipes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb carrots (about 6 carrots), peeled and cut into ½ inch thick slices
After placing carrots in a vegetable steamer, cover and steam for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove carrots and reserve the liquid. Place carrots in food processor and process until smooth, adding the liquid from steamer 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
BANANA PUREE from Parents Magazine
Ingredients:
- 1 medium fresh banana
- Formula or breastmilk to mix with it
After washing your banana, discard peel and ends and slice banana into pieces, then cut into quarters. Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add water as needed or for extra creaminess, puree banana with breastmilk or formula instead of water.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH from The Comfort of Cooking
Ingredients:
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
Steam butternut squash for 20-30 minutes or roast halved, de-seeded squash cut-side down at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Then, puree in food processor or blender until smooth. Add water as needed, or breast milk or formula in place of water for creamier texture.
PEA PUREE from Steele House Kitchen
Ingredients:
- 3 cups peas (organic frozen are preferable, with the least amount of sodium)
- 2 tbs of water
Steam peas for 2 minutes. If thawed, reduce time to 1 minute (peas should be plump and bright green). Place the peas and 2 tbs of water in a food processor and puree for 2 minutes until texture is smooth and creamy. If necessary, add more water until you reach desired consistency.
Happy feeding!